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June 9, 2010

Hospitalized

Tonight, Bertrand is staying in room 3031 of Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC). He is in isolation with a confirmed case of RSV and possible pneumonia. However, Bertrand's chest x-rays taken today were unable to show pneumonia, or his lungs for that matter, as his entire abdominal cavity was crammed with poop.

This is a troubling dilemma. Don't get me wrong, I have all fingers and toes crossed that this remains the extent of Bertrand's ills! But, Bertrand's has at least one bowel movement everyday. And, how is such a level of constipation even possible on the amount of miralax that kid is on?! At least the poop may begin to explain his massive belly and weight gain (in spite of dropping his calories). It may also help to explain Bertrand's persistent dehydration.

Bertrand drinks between 2 and 3 liters of fluid per day--well above the 1250mL recommended amount for a child his size and age--yet according to his labs Bertrand consistently appears dehydrated. In human physiology, extracellular fluids are distributed between the interstitial compartment (i.e. tissue) and intravascular compartment (i.e. plasma) in an approximately 75%-25% ratio. Third spacing is the physiological concept that body fluids may collect in a "third" body compartment that isn't normally perfused with fluids. Could it be possible that Bertrand's body is having to divert fluids from his blood to other parts such as, well, his poop storage?

I dunno. It's late and you can tell I am exhausted when I start coming up with brilliant medical terms like "poop storage". And on that note, we'll just have to wait and see if Bertrand's milk and molasses enema (what weirdo decided that would be a perfect combination to put up someone's you-know-what?!) this evening did it's job and the x-rays tomorrow show lungs. Hopefully clear ones.

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The Bertrand Might Research Fund has been established at Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute, a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Your donation will help Dr. Hudson Freeze’s lab begin to unravel the mystery of N-Glycanase deficiency, and hopefully find a treatment in the near future.

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